This invention relates to a marker adapted to be secured to an object such as a utility line which is adapted to be buried in the ground. The marker after attachment and in following years after burial of the line serves to locate the line.
During the construction of housing units, office buildings, factories, parks, road ways, etc. it is common for a multiplicity of underground objects such as utility lines and the like to be installed. Experience has shown the necessity of ascertaining the location, depth, and direction of these lines at any given time for purposes of safety, final connection with main lines, back filling, recordation for future location, etc. To this end, various marking devices have been developed that include, as does the marker of the present invention, a wrap-around locking strap configuration. Typically markers of this description have been made of a stiff but flexible plastic material, as exemplified by a polycarbonate, a polyethylene, or PVC resins.
A form of marker which is used currently is connected to an underground object such as a utility line by wrapping one end of the marker around the object and securing this end to a mid region of the marker whereby the marker is held in place. The remainder of the marker then extends upwardly from the object to be exposed above the surface of the ground after back filling and burying of the object A problem that has arisen with such a marker is its inability to release the buried object when and in the event that the free end of the mark is subjected to a sharp tugging force above a certain magnitude. Further explaining, it is desired that the marker not release from an object with light tugging, such as might result from the action of vandals. However, with a sharp pulling force exerted on the marker, as might result from the marker being caught by excavating machinery working in the area, if the marker does not release, this could result in displacement, breaking, or other damage to the line being marked, causing probable disruption of service and requiring expenditure of time and money in repairing the damage done.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a marker which is connectable about an underground object, such as a utility line, and which has a construction which enables the marker to release itself from the buried object when a force of a given magnitude is exerted on the free end of the marker.
More particularly, an object is to provide such a marker which has a collapsible tongue forming an end of the marker, this tongue passing through a locking aperture when securing the marker to a line. The construction holds the marker about a buried object with detachment prevented at low force levels. With a tugging force exerted on the free end of the marker which is above a certain level, the tongue described collapses, which frees the end of the marker to pass through the locking aperture, with the result that the marker is released from the line.
The marker is conveniently made from conventional thermoplastic resins. The collapsible tongue described is easily produced by slitting the body of the marker inwardly from an end to produce portions that are displacable toward each other to effectuate release.